On Saturday, November 28, Midway City will set up matching vendor tents across Town Square for an event it has never held before. The Midway Chlausmärt runs outdoors from noon to 8 p.m. The city says it is "inspired by the traditional Christmas markets of Switzerland and Europe" and is meant to complement Midway's Swiss heritage. The city's vendor page calls it the first Midway Chlausmärt.
The same day, the traditional Christmas Tree Lighting on Town Square becomes the opening night of a larger celebration the city has named Christmas on the Square. This year the long-running lighting shares its day with a market built around the town's Swiss heritage, which puts that heritage at the center of the holiday calendar.
Why the market carries St. Nicholas's name
The name matters for the dates. Switzerland Tourism explains that Samichlaus is what German-speaking Swiss call St. Nicholas. His day is December 6. Children recite verses to Samichlaus and his helpers, including Schmutzli, and get sweets in return.
That puts a Chlausmärt on November 28 at the front of a season building toward St. Nicholas Day. The town's own history explains why the tradition fits here. The Heber Valley's account of Midway's history says Swiss families arrived in Midway in the 1860s and 1870s.
The city's market page does not announce a Samichlaus appearance, so families should treat the name as a nod to the tradition, not a promise that St. Nicholas will be there.
What the city has set for November 28
City listings start Christmas on the Square at noon, the same hour the market opens. The full schedule of activities is still to come. The Christmas on the Square page says to expect the familiar community traditions "along with some exciting new additions."
The market itself is meant to stay small. The city is choosing vendors for a balanced mix, not filling every space with whoever applies first. On its Chlausmärt page, Midway City describes the goal:
"Our goal is to create a small, warm and inviting market filled with handcrafted gifts, specialty foods, festive treats and thoughtfully presented vendor displays."
The categories the city says it will favor read like a Swiss market stall list:
- Handmade ornaments and Christmas décor
- Pottery, woodwork and handcrafted home goods
- Candles, soaps and botanical products
- Knit, wool, felted and other winter textiles
- European- or Swiss-inspired foods, baked goods, chocolates and confectionery
- Hot seasonal drinks
Vendors must stay open for the full eight hours and be ready for late-November weather. With an 8 p.m. close, the market runs into the evening. Dress for a Heber Valley evening, not a midday stroll.
Schnitzel on the same stretch of Main Street
The market closes at 8 p.m., and that Saturday has a new dinner option nearby. Harvest Midway, at 195 W. Main Street, opened this fall. KUTV reported that it serves breakfast and lunch, adds dinner Thursday through Saturday, and has schnitzel dishes and a full bar on the menu.
Harvest lists hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, staying open until 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. November 28 is a Saturday, so the kitchen stays open an hour past the market's close, a short walk down Main Street from the square.
The eight days between the market and Samichlaus
The week after the Chlausmärt is where Midway's calendar comes together. On Saturday, December 5, the Homestead holds its Annual Tree Lighting from 2 to 8 p.m. at 700 North Homestead Drive. The event listing includes horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, and seasonal food and drink specials, and the tree it lights stands outside the historic Virginia House. The listing gives no admission price, so check with the Homestead before you go.
The next day is December 6, St. Nicholas Day. So Midway's two tree lightings bracket the week leading to Samichlaus, one on Town Square and one at the Homestead. The second lands on the eve of the day the Chlausmärt is named for.
Soldier Hollow's season also turns in the middle of that week. Regular-season passholders and day-ticket buyers can start using the trails on November 30, two days after the market. That means the first weekend of December can include cross-country skiing as well as a carriage ride, as long as the snow cooperates.
The season around the Swiss week
From the day this post publishes, here is how the rest of the Midway-area winter lines up:
| Date | What happens | Where |
|---|---|---|
| November 5 | Premium-pass early skiing projected to open, snow permitting | Soldier Hollow Nordic Center |
| November 14 | Last day for discounted 2026–27 trail passes, which must be bought before November 15 | Soldier Hollow Nordic Center |
| November 19 | North Pole Express public season begins | Heber Valley Railroad, Heber City |
| November 28 | Christmas on the Square tree lighting and the first Chlausmärt | Midway Town Square |
| November 30 | Regular passholders and day tickets begin on the trails | Soldier Hollow Nordic Center |
| December 5 | Annual Tree Lighting, 2 to 8 p.m. | The Homestead, 700 North Homestead Drive |
| December 6 | St. Nicholas Day, Samichlaus in Swiss tradition | Midway's namesake week ends |
| December 18 | Tubing season opens, weather permitting | Soldier Hollow |
| December 30 | Final North Pole Express runs | Heber Valley Railroad |
The pass deadline is the one that costs money if you miss it. On the Soldier Hollow annual pass page, a regular adult pass is $235, or $185 if bought before November 15. The regular family pass drops from $400 to $325 over the same window. Premium passes, which include the projected early-season access, are $265 for adults. Tubing runs in two-hour sessions from December 18 through March 13, 2027, and ticket prices vary.
The North Pole Express departs from 450 South 600 West in Heber City for a 90-minute ride with cocoa, cookies, entertainment, and Santa handing gifts to children. Weekday evening trains generally leave at 5 and 7:30 p.m., and most Saturdays add 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. departures. On October 12 the Heber Valley Railroad released new individual seats. Posted coach fares start at $50 per adult, $30 per child and $15 per infant in coach 4966, and a table for four in the 850 car is $320. For families planning the Chlausmärt, the Homestead lighting and a train ride, the train is the piece that takes reservations, so book it first.
One familiar winter fixture is still unconfirmed. KPCW reported in October 2025 that Ice Castles would skip Midway for the 2025–26 season after a warm winter. As of mid-October 2026, the company's homepage still lists its locations announcement as coming soon.
If you're thinking about a winter in Midway, whether you're settling in for good or keeping a mountain retreat for the season, I'm happy to talk through the Heber Valley's winter calendar and what it looks like from Midway. Bessie Ostertag is always glad to hear from neighbors. Let's Connect.
